The Night Court in Summer
by Alinaaaa
Summary: Summary: Feyre decides to take a summer job at a coffee shop, while staying at her family's beach house. Everything continues normally until one day, a very handsome face walks through the door.
1. Chapter 1

_The Night Court in Summer_

Summary: Feyre decides to take a summer job at a coffee shop, while staying at her family's beach house. Everything continues normally until one day, a very handsome face walks through the door.

Disclaimer: All these characters belong to the fabulous Sarah J. Maas

_Chapter 1_

I grab a cold water from the fridge behind the counter and press it against the back of my neck, in attempt to cool myself down from the sweltering summer heat. Between the waves and waves of warmth rushing in through the propped open door of the coffee shop and the store's lack of an air conditioner, it's no use. The heat surrounds me from all directions and there is absolutely no escaping it.

So far, the day has been relatively quiet. It's already almost noon, and I've only had about ten customers, which is very unlike my usual twenty or more per hour, starting at six A.M., open time.

Bored, I take out my phone and start surfing the web, as there hasn't been a customer for thirty minutes. I scroll for another few minutes, and listen to the yells of children and teens outside, enjoying summer to its fullest. Hearing them, I can't help but wish to get out of this shop and start getting some sun time of my own.

Just then, a guy walks in, followed by two others, breaking me out of my own thoughts. Actually, as I look closer, I notice that they're three very handsome boys.

"Hello!", I say brightly, "Welcome to The Velaris Coffee Shop. What can I get for you?"

One of them, with dark, almost violet eyes, and black hair steps up, smiles at me pleasantly, and says, "Hi. I'd like an espresso and three breakfast burritos, please."

I can't help but stare a little at his gorgeous eyes and muscular build. But then I look up to see him smirking at me with a single brow raised and quickly drag my gaze away from him. " Ok, that'll be right up.", I mutter and quickly slip away to give the order to my co-worker in the back.

After that, I head back to the register to find the three boys, whose names I don't know sitting on the stools in front of me. One of them, with dark hair down to his shoulders, and an almost mischevious expression, grins and says, "It's such a nice day. Why is a pretty girl like yourself cooped up in here?"

After a second I easily reply, "Well, what are you doing at a coffee shop, ten miles away from the beach on _such a nice day_ to eat burritos, rather than a nice ice cream by the sun?"

Now, all three of them are grinning at me, the violet eyed one most openly. I can't help but let out a small laugh. The one with violet eyes laughs and says, "Don't mind Cassian. He's just cranky because he was up past his bedtime."

I look over to see the one with the long hair- _Cassian-_ outright glaring at the other and start to chuckle, loudly, and very unattractively, while the third friend, who has yet to speak a single word, lips turn up at the corners.

Just then, a bell rings, signaling to me that their order is ready. I quickly jump up, grab it, and hand it over the counter to the three.

I ring them up, and just as they're walking out the door, the one with the violet eyes jogs back up to the counter, presses something into my hand, grins, then runs out the door to follow his friends.

In my hand I find a crinkled up piece of paper with a phone number written on it.

 _Rhysand- 610-484-9582_


	2. Chapter 2

The Night Court in Summer

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the fabulous Sarah J. Maas

_Chapter 2_

Upon seeing the note left by "Rhysand", my first thought is _what the heck._ A random guy-though a very cute random guy-walks into my store, says maybe five sentences to me, then spontaneously gives me his phone number?

All I did was take his order, and make a little bit of small talk; so why would he leave me his number? I'm not especially beautiful- not ugly either, but more on the average side. Certainly, too average to attract the attention of someone as gorgeous as him.

I glare down at the paper, puzzled. After another few seconds of thinking, I stuff the slip into the side pocket of my jeans and check the time. It is now about one fifty-seven. I'm supposed to get off work about now, but I can leave until my co-worker arrives.

I wait for about ten minutes and wring my hands anxiously, as I wait for my co-worker, who is apparently running late. _Why am I so anxious? I don't have anywhere to be._

Right that second my co-worker enters, I mutter a quick hello and quickly exit the shop.

As soon as I'm outside, the scent of salt water and beach flood into my nostrils, and I inhale the fresh beach air greedily.

It's not something I do often, but for whatever reason, I really want to get in some quality beach time while I still have the whole house to myself; my sisters Elain and Nesta are planning on coming down in a week.

So, I stroll down the sidewalk, past mini golf and numerous ice cream shops, until I reach my street. I enter our house and change into a dark blue bikini, along with a thin white coverup dress to wear over it.

Just as I'm about to discard my clothes into the laundry, I remember the slip of paper holding the phone number of a certain person in my jean pocket. I hastily pull it out, and place it safely on top of my dresser. _Not that I'm ever going to call it,_ I tell myself.

After grabbing a towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, and my book, I start the ten-block trek from my house to the nearest beach.

It takes me about a half hour to get there, but I don't mind at all, as I've been cooped up in a small, indoor area, barely moving, most of the day.

As I make my way across the lukewarm sand, I can't help but admire the scenery; calm blue waves crashing into the sand and leaving foamy little streaks. The wind, not too strong, but strong enough to cool down the unrelenting heat. And _the sky._ It is a miraculous mixture of blues, oranges, and pinks. Looking around, I can't help but wish I had brought paint and an easel to capture it. It truly is a perfect day.

I choose a place near the water- but still on dry sand- to set out my towel. After laying my bright orange towel down on the sand, I slip my coverup over my head, spray on a bit of sunscreen, and lay down on my stomach to do some tanning while reading my book.

I sit there for a while, allowing myself to get completely lost between the pages of my book, until the sun's glaring on my back finally starts taking its tole on my skin. I glance over my shoulder at my back, and groan. Despite the sunscreen, it's bright red. I decide that I'd better get into the water for a bit to cool down.

As I walk the short distance from my towel to the ocean, I hear a noise to my left. Looking over my shoulder, I glimpse a girl running full speed in my direction. She's looking down at her phone and has earbuds in, so as I let out a shriek, I knows that she can't heard me.

I try to get out of the way but it's no use. The girl, with long blond hair and dark brown eyes, careens into me, knocking both of us off our feet.

"I am so sorry!", yells the girl, "I, like an idiot, wasn't looking and then you were right in front of me and then we were falling and…"

I let out an amused snort. She is completely flustered. I chuckle a little bit, and sigh, "Don't worry about it. I'm kind of used to this sort of thing happening to me. I'm a bit of a klutz."

She hesitantly smiles at me and holds out her hand.

"I'm Morrigan, but you can call me Mor.", she says brightly.

I, in return, hold out my own hand to shake hers.

"Feyre", I reply.

Mor rises and holds out her hand to help me up. I take it, and we both stand. I think about what I should do next and decide it would probably be polite to say something to her. "So, Mor", I drawl, "What brings you to Prythian Beach?"

Mor grins at me and answers, "I, in fact, live here. What brings you to Prythian beach _Feyre?_ I've lived here for years and have not seen you once in my life."

At this I can't help but laugh. _Wow. Twice today I've genuinely laughed. That's new,_ I muse.

This girl, Mor, is surprisingly easy to talk with. She seems like the kind of person that I might've been easy friends with.

"Well, during the year I live out in the city, but my family has a house up here, so this is where I am most of the summer.", I say.

She seems to think for a moment before saying, "Hmm…if you're here _every summer_ , then why exactly, Feyre, have I never seen you around town before? Seems very suspicious if you ask me."

Again, I actually laugh and say, "Yes Mor, very suspicious that we, two unlikely strangers, have never met in this _enormous town by the beach that is divided into seven different sectors."_

Now Mor is the one laughing. She sighs, and admits, "Okay, fine. You make a good point."

Then Mor looks down to check her watch and says, seemingly disappointed, "I should probably get going. I'm supposed to be meeting my cousin and our friends in a few minutes. But it was really nice to meet you and I hope we bump into each other again."

I agree and before she can walk away ask, "Which section of town do you live in?"

She looks over her shoulder at me and replies, "The Night Quarter. What about you?"

"Actually,", I answer, "I'm in between the borders of The Spring and Autumn Quarters, so technically I'm not even in a sector."

She only glances at me and murmurs, "Hmm…", before walking away.

Later that night, after leaving the beach, and heading home to change out of my suit, I realize that I've barely eaten all day and am starving.

I look up the phone number of my favorite Italian restaurant, two blocks from here. On the phone, I order my usual chicken parmesan with a side dish of spaghetti and meat balls. The person on the other line tells me that it'll be ready in about thirty minutes.

While waiting, I take a moment to ponder my day. First, I had laughed, actually laughed, three times. Second, a gorgeous guy named Rhysand gave me his phone number. And the even crazier thing than him giving me the number is that I keep catching myself wanting to call it. I haven't had any interest in that kind of thing since… _don't even think that name,_ I forcefully remind myself.

For the lack of anything better to do, I decide to head out to pick up my dinner a bit early. I head down the strangely quiet night streets as I make my way two short blocks to the restaurant.

When I arrive, driven by hunger, I rush up to the counter to find out if there is any possible way my food is ready fifteen minutes early.

After a brief conversation with the girl working the register, my fears are confirmed; I will have to wait fifteen minutes for my food.

But as I'm walking, I see four familiar faces sitting in a booth together, not that far from where I am. _No,_ I think as I take a closer look. _This cannot be happening._

I look again, and the impossible has been confirmed; Mor, the girl from the beach, Rhysand, the handsome guy who gave me his number, and the two other guys that were at Velaris Coffee Shop this morning, are all sitting together in a small booth, ten feet away from me.

I have no idea what to do. Should I go talk to them?

 _Hey guys, remember me? Rhysand, just in case you forgot, I'm the girl who you gave your number to this morning! And you two, whose name I know not, were also in the coffee shop this morning. And Mor! You knocked me over while running on the beach earlier!_

I inwardly cringe at the more than likely awkwardness to come if I were to go over and talk with them. Just as I decide against it, and start sneaking away, I hear someone shouting my name.

I slowly look over my shoulder to find Mor waving madly at me and yelling my name. _Shoot! I have been spotted._

I go over my options in my head, and soon come to a conclusion that unless I want to make the situation more awkward and weird than it already is, I have to go over to their booth and talk to them.

I slowly make my way over to their table, dragging my feet as I go. Once I get there, I try to avoid Rhysand's intense gaze.

"Feyre!", Mor repeats, "I knew I'd see you again, but I wasn't expecting our meeting to be so soon!"

She is practically bouncing off her seat in excitement. Then from his place at Mor's right, Rhysand says in a velvety voice, "We meet again. It must be fate giving us a sign. Oh, and by the way, Feyre is a lovely name."

I can't help but swoon a little; he has a really beautiful, almost alluring way with his words.

Mor looks between us, puzzled.

"Wait, you two have met?", she asks.

Rhysand spares me the task of answering her. "Yes, in fact, we have met. Azriel", he says, referencing to the quiet one, "Cassian, and I all met _Feyre_ this morning."

Rhysand gives Mor a brief summary of our morning, leaving out the part where he gives me his phone number.

"Well. Isn't this… _interesting?_ ", she laughs. Soon, we all join her, _Cassian_ \- the one with long hair-, the loudest.

I sit with them and have fun, easy conversations, as I wait for my food. Even Azriel contributes a little. I feel like I could talk with them, these people who I'd met mere hours before, forever. This revelation scares me a little bit, saying that I've never really had a strong connection with anyone in the nineteen years I've been living. So, how is it possible that I feel such a strong connection with these people that I literally just met? It makes no _sense._

Fifteen minutes later, my food is ready, and I stroll up to the counter to grab my take-out bag, having already payed earlier. I have the strange urge to stay and talk with Mor, Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel, but remind myself that they probably don't want me to intrude more than I already have, on their plans.

So, I head back over to their booth, to bid them goodnight. "I should probably get going, but I had a lot of fun talking to you guys and hope that these strange, reoccurring meetings or whatever they are, keep on happening."

Mor and Cassian both get up to hug me, and I find myself returning their embraces. _What are you doing, Feyre? They're strangers, remember?_ But the thing is, they don't feel like strangers to me; it feels like I might've known them forever.

Azriel smiles and waves farewell to me from his seat, and Rhysand rises. "Would you grant me the honor of walking you home?", he asks in a deep voice. I can't help but say yes.

Together, we exit the restaurant. "So, Feyre", he says with a bright smile on his face, "is there any reason you haven't called me?" I move my hair behind my ears. "Disappointed?", I ask. He laughs, "But, seriously? Were you ever planning to call me?"

I look in his eyes, and can tell he actually wants to know. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I haven't been…with anyone for a while. But I admit, sometimes I caught myself almost calling you, then stopping myself."

At this, he chuckles. "Feyre Darling, why even bother trying to resist this?", he teases, gesturing at himself. "You know you can't."

"You know I can't try to resist what?", I laugh, "So, what's your story?"

He looks over at me. "Depends what you mean by that." I roll my eyes. "You know, the where you live, what you do, and where you're from kind of thing."

He glances at me thoughtfully. "Hmm…well, I live here year-round in a town house, with Mor, Azriel, and Cassian, all of which you know. I'm twenty, and am about to start my second year of college at Prythian University, about a half-hour from here.", he says, "What about you Feyre Darling? What's your story?"  
I take quick breath and say, "I live in a town near here during the year, but my family has a house here, so this is where I am all summer. My sisters usually stay with me but they can't come until next week. I'm nineteen, and am going to be starting my first year of college in September…at Prythian university."

At this, his eyes go wide, and for a second he's quiet. But then, his face changes seasons, a full-on grin, along with unrestrained joy, spread over his face. "I should have known, Feyre Darling! You seem like the kind of person who'd go there. That, and the fact that the fates seem to be pretty determined to pull us together. First the coffee shop, then you meeting Mor, the restaurant, and now this. And all in one day!", he chuckles.

I can't help but blush a little, but lucky for me, it's dark enough that he might not notice.

Then, I look up and realize we've reached my house. I was so engrossed in conversation with him that I lost track of where we were. "This is me.", I murmur.

I start to say goodnight, but before I can, he cuts me off. "I don't want this to be goodbye. I want to see you again-tomorrow."

For a second, I'm startled. I'm startled because I want to meet him, want to see him, too. _Is it too soon_ , I ask myself.

But then I realize, that isn't too soon. Since that tool, I haven't been able to bring myself to date. I haven't felt a connection with anyone. It's been about seven months.

If I am feeling something for this person, for Rhysand, then I owe it to myself to give it a try. I owe it to myself to be happy. "I'd love to.", I say with confidence.

A smile, overflowing with joy, creeps onto his face. "So, I'll pick you up at eleven?"

Without hesitation, I reply, "Works for me. Where will we be going?"

An almost mischievous expression creeps onto his face. "It's a surprise. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."

"We'll see,", I say, jokingly, "But Rhysand…is this a date?"

"As long as you're okay with it, then yes.", he says, like the gentleman he seems to be.

I don't bother to restrain the smile coming onto my face. "That'd be great. See you then!"

And with that, I begin to walk the steps up to my front door. Fromm behind me I hear Rhysand call, "Feyre! Call me Rhys, by the way. Only my enemies call me Rhysand."


End file.
